Home delivery vs. Birthing center vs. hospital...thoughts?

Ok, so being a first timer here, I'm interested in my options. I know I don't want to induce unless it is for substantial medical reasons and like the idea of au natural - which is not to say that going sands epidural doesn't scare the you know what out of me. However, I work in hospitals everyday and am all too familiar with the control you relinquish to the nurses and doctors once you step through their doors. On the other hand, I do believe that 21st century medicine has made miraculous advancements in healthcare and there's always the "what if" scenarios that necessitate immediate hospital resources and you're not at a hospital...???

Anyone have previous experience/ supported opinions???

Ok, so being a first timer here, I'm interested in my options. I know I don't want to induce unless it is for substantial medical reasons and like the idea of au natural - which is not to say that going sands epidural doesn't scare the you know what out of me. However, I work in hospitals everyday and am all too familiar with the control you relinquish to the nurses and doctors once you step through their doors. On the other hand, I do believe that 21st century medicine has made miraculous advancements in healthcare and there's always the "what if" scenarios that necessitate immediate hospital resources and you're not at a hospital...???

I was debating what to do, as my first resulted in a c-section and I want to try for a VBAC this time. If you live near a birth center, go for it! The closest one to me is about an hour away, and I couldn't justify driving an hour each way just for prenatal visits. So I switched from an OB to a midwife. I would also suggest since you understand how hospitals take control so easily, hire a doula! They can help you remember that you want your birth a certain way, and can help remind the doctors of that too.

I was debating what to do, as my first resulted in a c-section and I want to try for a VBAC this time. If you live near a birth center, go for it! The closest one to me is about an hour away, and I couldn't justify driving an hour each way just for prenatal visits. So I switched from an OB to a midwife. I would also suggest since you understand how hospitals take control so easily, hire a doula! They can help you remember that you want your birth a certain way, and can help remind the doctors of that too.

I'd be doing a homebirth, if our house was a bit bigger. I am having my birth at my midwife's office/ birthcenter. They are set up to look like actual bedrooms and comfy with everything she needs. If she needs me transferred to a hossy, I'm 5 minutes away and the ambulance can take me or she can do it herself. I rather not have a birth at the hospital because of the way my son's godmother and my SIL were treated. It was the doctor's way or the highway and I didn't like it.

Hi!

I'd be doing a homebirth, if our house was a bit bigger. I am having my birth at my midwife's office/ birthcenter. They are set up to look like actual bedrooms and comfy with everything she needs. If she needs me transferred to a hossy, I'm 5 minutes away and the ambulance can take me or she can do it herself. I rather not have a birth at the hospital because of the way my son's godmother and my SIL were treated. It was the doctor's way or the highway and I didn't like it.

Kaia, mom to Orion (4) and baby #2, who is "Due" on April 30th (but letting baby decide when to come). I'm a Lactivist, a vegetarian, Intactivist, birth activist, Gender Neutral AP mom, and just a geek.

I had to have an emergency c-section with my first. All I have to do is recall the urgency of the moment and the doctor barking at the nurse to find the baby's heartbeat (which kept dropping) as they were doing the spinal. I was literally down the hall from the O.R. and that was way too long for me. Having that experience, I would never want to be any further away from medical intervention than I was.

I had to have an emergency c-section with my first. All I have to do is recall the urgency of the moment and the doctor barking at the nurse to find the baby's heartbeat (which kept dropping) as they were doing the spinal. I was literally down the hall from the O.R. and that was way too long for me. Having that experience, I would never want to be any further away from medical intervention than I was.

Watch Pregnant in America, it is a documentary on home births vs hospitals..pretty interesting. I am hoping for a home birth, I'm 35 and this is my first so hoping my pregnancy is uncomplicated and I will be able to deliver at home. good luck to you all. everybody is so different and I think whatever makes you feel most comfortable is the way you should go.

Watch Pregnant in America, it is a documentary on home births vs hospitals..pretty interesting. I am hoping for a home birth, I'm 35 and this is my first so hoping my pregnancy is uncomplicated and I will be able to deliver at home. good luck to you all. everybody is so different and I think whatever makes you feel most comfortable is the way you should go.

I plan to have my baby at the birthing center. Home as a backup, hospital as a last resort.

The main reason I'm not going for home first is because of my son and my dog. Kidlet gets very anxious when he knows something isn't right with Mommy and I won't be able to comfort him if I'm busy having a baby. The dog isn't usually anxious, but there's a lot of tension surrounding a birth and he gets protective and clingy when I'm in pain or upset. I'm not sure how well he would take to my midwife and her assistants coming in during that kind of situation. He's only little (13-lb mini dachshund), but I don't want him to freak out.

I plan to have my baby at the birthing center. Home as a backup, hospital as a last resort.

The main reason I'm not going for home first is because of my son and my dog. Kidlet gets very anxious when he knows something isn't right with Mommy and I won't be able to comfort him if I'm busy having a baby. The dog isn't usually anxious, but there's a lot of tension surrounding a birth and he gets protective and clingy when I'm in pain or upset. I'm not sure how well he would take to my midwife and her assistants coming in during that kind of situation. He's only little (13-lb mini dachshund), but I don't want him to freak out.

I'll be delivering in a birthing center which is attached to the hospital.

They have rooms which are set up like a hotel room, with a big comfy couch for dad to sleep on, and a large jacuzzi tub / birthing pool for those who would be more comfortable. Mom gets a special meal after giving birth, and there is a fridge in the room for your own snacks and whatnot.Â

The baby doesn't leave the room, there is no nursery, the nurses come to see you there. Â They encourage breastfeeding (to the point of assuming you'll at least try).

I'll get a birth plan checkoff sheet when I am about 7 months along, and I'll post it up here. Â That way other first time moms will be able to see the options that are available (even if the doctor's don't make it clear, you have a lot of choice).

Â If anything goes wrong, I get wheeled down the hall to the operating room for a c-section. Â The only concern I have is that if there is a *major* problem, the closest NICU is 30 miles away.

I'll be delivering in a birthing center which is attached to the hospital.

They have rooms which are set up like a hotel room, with a big comfy couch for dad to sleep on, and a large jacuzzi tub / birthing pool for those who would be more comfortable. Mom gets a special meal after giving birth, and there is a fridge in the room for your own snacks and whatnot.Â

The baby doesn't leave the room, there is no nursery, the nurses come to see you there. Â They encourage breastfeeding (to the point of assuming you'll at least try).

I'll get a birth plan checkoff sheet when I am about 7 months along, and I'll post it up here. Â That way other first time moms will be able to see the options that are available (even if the doctor's don't make it clear, you have a lot of choice).

Â If anything goes wrong, I get wheeled down the hall to the operating room for a c-section. Â The only concern I have is that if there is a *major* problem, the closest NICU is 30 miles away.

This is my first and long for a home birth experience, however, I'm already high risk. I would love to give birth at home with my three dogs. I have two show dogs and one who is just the most amazing dog! I will be hiring a doula for the birth in order to help me achieve the birthing experience I desire in a hospital.

This is my first and long for a home birth experience, however, I'm already high risk. I would love to give birth at home with my three dogs. I have two show dogs and one who is just the most amazing dog! I will be hiring a doula for the birth in order to help me achieve the birthing experience I desire in a hospital.

In my opinion it is always good to hear everyone's point of view so you know exactly how many options you could have at your disposal. However, everyone is different and no one's way is wrong if that is what works best for them.

I had to be at the hospital for a scheduled C-Section to do a major surgery where I had my large intestine removed, including a herniated disk, pushing was not a safe option for me at all! This time around I am going to do the exact same thing. I also have an EXTREMELY low tolerance for pain and I would follow the drugs anywhere, lmao!Â

In my opinion it is always good to hear everyone's point of view so you know exactly how many options you could have at your disposal. However, everyone is different and no one's way is wrong if that is what works best for them.

I had to be at the hospital for a scheduled C-Section to do a major surgery where I had my large intestine removed, including a herniated disk, pushing was not a safe option for me at all! This time around I am going to do the exact same thing. I also have an EXTREMELY low tolerance for pain and I would follow the drugs anywhere, lmao!Â

I plan on going with a birthing center. This is my first, and therefore my best chance to get it right (how I want to give birth- naturally). Home birth makes DH nervous and hospital makes me nervous (I also work at one). Since I actually have the option of using a birth center, I'm going to! Most women don't live close enough.

I plan on going with a birthing center. This is my first, and therefore my best chance to get it right (how I want to give birth- naturally). Home birth makes DH nervous and hospital makes me nervous (I also work at one). Since I actually have the option of using a birth center, I'm going to! Most women don't live close enough.

If I had my druthers, I would do at home. But this is my first pregnancy and I'm having twins, so you never know how that's going to go! I may have a scheduled c at a hospital. If not, I'll go to the birthing center in the same hospital. It's just on a different floor so if anything goes wrong they just wheel you upstairs. If not, it's a nice cozy room with a tub, no IV or drugs, and the baby rooms with you. Or babies, in my case.

If I had my druthers, I would do at home. But this is my first pregnancy and I'm having twins, so you never know how that's going to go! I may have a scheduled c at a hospital. If not, I'll go to the birthing center in the same hospital. It's just on a different floor so if anything goes wrong they just wheel you upstairs. If not, it's a nice cozy room with a tub, no IV or drugs, and the baby rooms with you. Or babies, in my case.

I hope you get what you want out of your birthing experience. My midwife won't accept twins; she says they're too high risk. I'm very glad I'm only having one; I had a *horrible* experience with my OB the first time around and I wanted something different this time.

I hope you get what you want out of your birthing experience. My midwife won't accept twins; she says they're too high risk. I'm very glad I'm only having one; I had a *horrible* experience with my OB the first time around and I wanted something different this time.

I am 100% with you when it comes to wanting a completely natural birth and being nervous about the way doctors will take control in a hospital... that being said, I had a friend who did a home delivery and her baby passed away 15 minutes after the birth due to a completely unexpected stroke. There is a chance (however minimal) that being in a hospital could have saved her baby's life. I do not judge anyone else's choice but for me, knowing that there is a very small, but still real chance of a complication that isn't detected before labour, and that the time it takes to get to a hospital could mean life or death for the mother or baby. I know in Canada you can have a midwife handle the entire delivery but still have it take place in a hospital. Do you have any options like that?

I am 100% with you when it comes to wanting a completely natural birth and being nervous about the way doctors will take control in a hospital... that being said, I had a friend who did a home delivery and her baby passed away 15 minutes after the birth due to a completely unexpected stroke. There is a chance (however minimal) that being in a hospital could have saved her baby's life. I do not judge anyone else's choice but for me, knowing that there is a very small, but still real chance of a complication that isn't detected before labour, and that the time it takes to get to a hospital could mean life or death for the mother or baby. I know in Canada you can have a midwife handle the entire delivery but still have it take place in a hospital. Do you have any options like that?

My first son had trouble transitioning and had to spend 2 weeks in NICU. I am so thankful that we were right there in the hospital where he could get immediate medical attention. I love my OB and had a fabulous labor nurse, so the whole birthing experience was exactly what I wanted. I like a PP's idea about a doula, they can be wonderfully strong advocates for what you want. Also, talking through what you want w/ your OB is crucial so you can find out ahead of time if they'll be supportive of your plan. Of course... speaking as a control freak, there is sometimes not a lot that we can control about childbirth;-)

My first son had trouble transitioning and had to spend 2 weeks in NICU. I am so thankful that we were right there in the hospital where he could get immediate medical attention. I love my OB and had a fabulous labor nurse, so the whole birthing experience was exactly what I wanted. I like a PP's idea about a doula, they can be wonderfully strong advocates for what you want. Also, talking through what you want w/ your OB is crucial so you can find out ahead of time if they'll be supportive of your plan. Of course... speaking as a control freak, there is sometimes not a lot that we can control about childbirth;-)

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